“Bryce Young Was Terrible in First Year” – Kurt Warner Feels a Quarterback Should Get 3 Years in NFL to Prove Himself

Hall of Famer Kurt Warner urges NFL teams to have patience with young quarterbacks at the beginning of their careers.

“Bryce Young Was Terrible in First Year” – Kurt Warner Feels a Quarterback Should Get 3 Years in NFL to Prove Himself

Bryce Young and CJ Stroud (Image via IMAGO)

Kurt Warner wants to see a change in the leash on young quarterbacks. In a league where wins are the sole measure of a quarterback’s worth, player development often takes a backseat. Either deliver positive results or risk losing the starter’s job. Warner pointed to Bryce Young‘s rough start to his NFL career to back his hypothesis.

After the Carolina Panthers invested heavily in drafting Young over CJ Stroud and possibly Caleb Williams in the following draft year, he struggled to adapt to the pace of the NFL. It took Young nearly three years to finally show some promise.

Young flipped the narrative from being a draft bust to becoming the poster child of grit and trusting the grind. Warner emphasizes the importance of teams believing in their inexperienced quarterbacks and nurturing them to become the franchise’s cornerstone. This development requires a commitment to patience.

When a [rookie] quarterback comes into the NFL, I want to give them three years to tell me who they are. We look at guys like CJ Stroud [Houston]… great rookie year, then a step back. Jayden Daniels [Washington], same thing, tremendous early, then adversity hits. Give me that third year to figure it out. Bryce Young was terrible his first year… Now he looks like a legit starter.

Kurt Warner said on The Ross Tucker Podcast

Warner’s comments make a lot of sense given Young’s history, especially since the Panthers traded up to draft him first overall, passing on the opportunity to take Stroud. Two years in, Young looked like a fish out of water. He ranked at the bottom of nearly every available quarterback metric. In fact, he looked so rough that fans were calling for the Panthers’ leadership to cut ties with him.

Dave Canales, who became the head coach during Young’s second year, maintained confidence in the 24-year-old quarterback and surrounded him with talented players. By year three, it paid off as Young led the Panthers to the top of the NFC South with an 8-9 finish, defeating teams like the Cowboys, Rams, and Buccaneers.

Young capped off the season with 3,011 yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs, and a 63.6% completion rate. Sure, the numbers aren’t exactly top-tier, but they clearly show steady growth. More importantly, it fits Warner’s argument—give rookie quarterbacks a chance to develop.

Panthers general manager hints at a massive update on Bryce Young’s future

Delegates and executives gathered at the annual owners’ meeting to discuss business. Only a few times in the NFL calendar do reporters get the opportunity to speak with all the bigwigs at the same event.

"Bryce Young Was Terrible in First Year" - Kurt Warner Feels a Quarterback Should Get 3 Years in NFL to Prove Himself
Bryce Young (Image via IMAGO)

Panthers general manager Dan Morgan accompanied Canales for the occasion. Morgan sat down with Kay Adams, the host of FanDuel’s Up & Adams, for an exclusive interview. Without wasting much time, Adams pressed Morgan to reveal the inside news about Young’s long-term future with the club.

Bryce is definitely our future. We have a ton of belief in him. I think you can see by what we’re… building around him and what he does. He’s just this special guy.

Dan Morgan told Adams

Morgan also praised Young’s growth as a leader and vocal presence inside the locker room. Heading into his fourth season, Morgan believes Young is ready to cement his status as a top quarterback.

For somebody to get benched, come back, and be as resilient as he is. I just have so much respect for who he is.

Morgan said

Back in January, Morgan announced that the Panthers do intend to exercise Young’s fifth-year option. According to the Panthers’ official website, Young’s fifth year is fully guaranteed, with a projected value of approximately $26.5 million.

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